What do you think?

I know that I said this blog would not be focused on political policies, but I must say one thing before proceeding. Can someone please explain to me why a majority of my FBook friends, liberal and conservative, were posting comments such as "Fuck Yeah America" and " Justice has been done" and "Ding dong Osama is gone." Yes, I am all about humanitarian needs and addressing humanitarian issues and I am not going to state my opinion on the death penalty here. But it certainly seems like there is an overwhelming sense of "Death Penalty Fuck Yeah" by all Americans. Yet if you confront them, and ask "what is your stance on the death penalty?" the common response is "I don't support it" or "Well, I don't have a stance." I am just saying, the hypocrisy in this country makes me crazy. And like I said, I am all for helping humanitarian needs, but this sort of reaction by the American public makes me frustrated.

Okay, enough about that. Friday is moving day! Back to Grouse Creek I go. I am actually extremely excited. The past 5 months have been so stressful. I've had an overwhelming feeling of being in a state of transition. I've driven the nearly 3 hours out to Grouse Creek and 3 hrs back every week. Getting up at 2am to trap the grouse and flip my sleep schedule, coming back for 7 hr labs, proposals, symposiums, etc. What a whirlwind, and not necessarily in a relaxing way. So, this week basically will only consist of completing a final (which will take some time but shouldn't kill me), packing, cleaning, and heading out to GC on Friday. My field tech quit earlier that I was expecting, so I have hired Kerry, my roommate, to give me a hand in the field. She is super excited, as am I. I also have a telemetry flight next Monday, and hope to find my lost birds.

This past weekend and possibly next weekend will be "branding weekend" for the Grouse Creek ranchers. Last year this was a hullabaloo. It was my real introduction to ranching and the country lifestyle. I stopped by a corral of about 200 calves all being scarred for life with that sizzling iron. Of course, the ranchers administer a little medication to help with the process, but it still must be quite painful. Children and adults help with the process of wrestling the calf to the ground and firmly placing the scalding iron onto the rump area. The ranchers completed about 200 head in a day, and we all had a feast of steak and potatoes when they finished. If they brand again this weekend, maybe I'll get in there and wrestle a few myself. Oh, and I should mention that Leighton now owns a branding iron after this year's White Elephant gift exchange at Terry's (my advisor) house.